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2 Peter 3:1–2
“This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.”
Having devoted the whole of 2 Peter 2 to exposing the character, methods, and destiny of the false teachers, Peter now opens the final chapter of his letter by returning to a theme that he introduced at the beginning: the vital importance of remembering the truth. In 2 Peter 1:12–15, he expressed his determination to remind believers of the fundamental truths of the faith even though they already knew them. Now, as he prepares to address the denial of Christ’s return, he again calls his readers to remember.
What is it that we are to remember? Peter identifies two sources: “the predictions of the holy prophets” and “the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles” (3:2). These correspond to the Old and New Testaments. Peter places the words of the prophets and the words of the Apostles on the same plane because both ultimately come from the same source: God Himself. This is a significant claim, for it means that the Apostolic writings carry the same divine authority as the prophetic Scriptures that Israel had long received as the Word of God.
In biblical usage, remembering involves bringing past truths to bear on present circumstances. When Israel was commanded to “remember” the exodus, the purpose was not nostalgia but obedience, for remembering what God had done was meant to produce faithfulness to what God had commanded. Similarly, Peter wants his readers to recall the prophetic and Apostolic word so that they will not be swayed by the false teachers who deny it.
The primary defense against false teaching is not sophisticated theological argument, though argument has its place. The primary defense is deep familiarity with the truth. Christians who are saturated in Scripture will instinctively recognize when something does not fit. As Dr. R.C. Sproul often illustrated, the best way to detect counterfeit currency is not to study every possible forgery but to become so intimately acquainted with the genuine article that the counterfeit is immediately obvious.
Peter’s reminder also underscores the continuity of God’s revelation. The prophets who foretold Christ’s coming and the Apostles who proclaimed His gospel are united in a single testimony, and the false teachers’ attempt to drive a wedge between the old covenant promises and the new covenant proclamation fails, for the two belong together, forming one coherent witness to the truth of God.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
We cannot recall what we have never learned. Peter’s command to remember assumes that the truths of Scripture have been planted in our minds through patient, repeated exposure. Let us give ourselves to the regular reading and hearing of God’s Word so that when error presents itself, we are able to recognize what does not belong.
For further study
- Deuteronomy 8:2–3
- Psalm 119:9–16
- Luke 24:44–49
- 2 Timothy 3:14–17
The bible in a year
- Psalms 94–95
- Romans 12